How to build the perfect buddha bowl

According to the Urban Dictionary, a “Buddha bowl” is officially defined as “a bowl which is packed so full that it has a rounded ‘belly’ appearance on the top, much like the belly of a Buddha.”

Funnily enough, although the bowl is named after Buddha with his round tummy, the meals are usually (depending on the ingredients you choose) packed full of filling nutrients and vitamins that aid weight loss and overall health.

The dish contains a whole rainbow of ingredients and can be seasoned in any number of ways, but the basic formula always remains the same and the brilliance is there’s no one way of making them.

Play around with different spices, herbs and dressings to help find the combination that works best for you.

How to build the perfect Buddha bowl to suit your tastes

There are four elements of the bowl grains, proteins, greens and vegetables, toppings and dressings.

Step one: Grains

The first step in making a Buddha bowl is to cook your grain of choice. Depending on your taste and intolerances, the best options to go for are: rice, quinoa or buckwheat. Not a big fan of grains? Roast some diced kumara instead.

Simply cook the grains as per the packet’s instructions, and head to step two while it’s cooking away.

Along with fibre, grains provide carbohydrates, protein and a wide range of vitamins and minerals making them perfect for this dish.

Step two: Protein

While the grains are cooking start preparing your protein

If you’re including tofu, eggs, meat or falafels as your protein, cook them to your liking i.e fry, bake or poach and keep them warm until you plate up the bowl.

If you’re including other veggies like sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, kale or spinach, now is a good time to do this. Sauté your veggies with some oil and, for flavour, crushed garlic, herbs and spices.

The protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer and adds a depth of flavour to the meal.

Step three: Vegetables

Prepare the greens. The greens will be the main part and the base of your dish you can use lettuce, kale, spinach, finely diced broccoli etc. Wash, tear and dice the greens.

Packed full of vitamins the veggies also add some crunch and freshness.

Step four: Assemble

Now for the fun part. Get a large bowl and add the greens to the base, then start assembling the rest of the ingredients in whichever order you prefer.

Add any other toppings you like such as guacamole, roasted chickpeas, hummus, olives, feta, rinsed canned legumes, nuts and seeds.

Finally dress the salad with a salad, (be careful to pick dressings with little or no sugar). You could use, tahini mixed with lemon juice and a bit of water, salt and pepper, hummus, balsamic vinegar or simply a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

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